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Today, the first day of summer, I take a drive in search of solitude and maybe a few fish. Time to unplug from the mental and physical grind of work and the toll that it takes. The day starts cool. There's sun and clouds. An occasional shower. A hint of breeze. A little fleece feels just right.

No mosquitos. Yet.

I start the day by nymphing. The first few passes come up short, so I add some shot. That's better. A rainbow promptly grabs my offering. I admire the fish and let it slip gently from the net, all the while eyeing a submerged root mass. Someone that I want to meet probably lives there. Then, I notice a splash tight against some overhanging willow. Really? Not sure. I resume my fishing. Another splash. Ah, I wasn't dreaming. I take a few more fish on the nymph and decide to move on.

The next run holds several rising fish. I sneak to the tail of the pool, well back from the bank. I'd like to catch a few of these. No need to put the fish down. I …

Here's a little problem. For most of my fishing career I'd fished without a net. Why? Heck, I didn't think that I needed one. My attitude towards landing fish was…."I'll just grab 'em". Well, even little fish have quite a bit of spunk in them. Just when I'd be ready to "grab 'em", they would dart away. Four, five, six times. That's a lot of spunk. Frustrating for the fisherman, probably for the fish too. Not to mention the needless tiring, especially when the process could be expedited.

I started spring creek fishing a couple of years ago. In a compassionate, conservation minded moment, I decided that it was time for a change. Actually, I got tired of not being able to land fish that were already at hand. So, I invested in a net. Good move. Get them close, one scoop, done. No more of this darting away business.

It's not much to look at. Hell to get to. No trail. Blowdowns. Once there, it's just a puddle.

The water is perpetually murky. There are a few submerged snags. Above and behind, trees nudge the shoulder, as if to say…. "remember me?" No problem. No fancy backcasts here. Roll casts rule.
The tug on the line is always a surprise. Rarely is there a rise to hint at the few modest resident rainbows that manage to scratch out a living. Still, they're pretty. Feisty and fat, another surprise for so early in the season. They must eat well.

The fly du jour is a bead head prince. Not a classic for fishing still water. Today it's the ticket. With just enough weight to carry it out on a roll cast, it disappears into the murk. Twitched back slowly, the fish confirm that it looks like…..food.

It's usually a mosquito factory. Not today. The bugs have yet to appear. One can sit in peace. No need to keep moving. No frantic arm waving while slapping a…

On this particular day I set out hoping to find some rising fish. It was a beautiful evening, calm and overcast. But alas, there were no bugs. So I was content to roll cast streamers on a short leash. The browns were willing.